A chef sexually assaulted a man during a child’s birthday party at a Suffolk pub, it has been alleged.
The child’s father had gone to get a cup of tea for a relative at the Artichoke pub in Broome near, Bungay when Aaron Whittingstall allegedly came up behind him and cupped his testicles, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
Whttingstall, 48, of London Street, Swaffham, has pleaded not guilty to a string of sexual offences between 2018 and 2022 including sexually assaulting the man at the birthday party.
The other offences include three offences of sexual activity with a child, sexual communication with a child, four offences of sexual assault and two offences of attempted sexual assault.
Another alleged victim told the court she had been at a Quiz night at the Artichoke pub with her husband and some friends when Whittingstall had approached their table to clear some glasses.
She said there had been a question about fruit and she claimed that Whittingstall had made a grabbing motion towards her chest and said: “What about those melons?”.
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“He placed his hands in front of them and went to grab them. I felt really uncomfortable,” she said.
She also claimed that Whittingstall had made a “tweaking” gesture with both hands. She said she couldn’t recall if he had actually touched her breasts or if he had just come very close.
She claimed that on another occasion about a month later she was at the pub when she became aware of Whittingstall behind her. “His hand came round to slap my bum and I swore at him,” she said.
“I didn’t want to be touched,” she said.
She denied a suggestion from defence counsel Matthew Sorel-Cameron that Whittingstall had been throwing something towards a bin and she had mistakenly thought he was going to slap her bottom.
The trial continues.
